What to do if you were in an accident with injuriesand it was not your fault?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What to do if you were in an accident with injuriesand it was not your fault?

I was making a T-turn when a motorcycle behind me speed up and tried to bypass me from the left via the opposite lane. The middle line was solid on my direction and dash on the other side, which was why I assumed he couldn’t pass me at first. The bike hit the front of the car and the biker fell off and was injured. I got a citation for an improper U-turn; not sure about the condition of the guy yet. Should I re-contact the police officer about the guy trying to pass me in the wrong lane? What to do can help me with this situation now? We both have insurance and I gave a statement to insurance.

Asked on September 27, 2011 under Accident Law, Washington

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 13 years ago | Contributor

This is a case where other than giving your insurer a precautionary heads up, if appropriate (see below), you need to do nothing about the other person's injuries or property damage until and unless sued or at least contacted for a claim. That is because if the other party or their insurer never seeks money from you, you will owe nothing (and if they do contact you for a claim or suit, your insurer will defend, at least up to the policy limits).

You should check your policy--most require that if you know about a *potential* claim, you give them notice, and in this case, since there was an accident involving your car, there is a potential claim and you therefore probably owe your insurer notice and heads up.

As to the citation: definitely don't ignore it--you have to show up for the court date, unless it's resolved earler (e.g. by paying any fine). You can pay it; you can fight it, if you think the evidence is that you did not make an illegal u-turn; or you can try to get it negotiated to a lesser or different violation, maybe one with less "points" associated with it. You may wish to contact and discuss the matter with an attorney who handles traffic violations and tickets.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption